Brem
Encyclopedia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. There are two types of brem, brem cake (solid) that usually eaten as snack from Madiun
Madiun
Madiun is a city in the western part of the province of East Java Indonesia, an agricultural centre. It is the capital of the regency of the same name....
and Wonogiri
Wonogiri
Wonogiri is a regency in the southeastern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Its capital is Wonogiri.-Administrative division:Wonogiri Regency is divided into several sub-districts as follows: Baturetno, Batuwarno, Bulukerto, Eromoko, Girimarto, Giritontro, Giriwoyo, Jatipurno, Jatiroto,...
, and brem beverage (liquid) made of rice wine
Rice wine
Rice wine is an alcoholic beverage made from rice. Unlike wine, which is made by fermentation of naturally sweet grapes and other fruit, rice "wine" results from the fermentation of rice starch converted to sugars...
from Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
and Nusa Tenggara, but mostly known from Bali. The time of the appearance of brem in Java is estimated about 1000 A.D., based on investigations which surveyed in the old Javanese
Javanese language
Javanese language is the language of the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. In addition, there are also some pockets of Javanese speakers in the northern coast of western Java...
inscriptions and literature.
Brem beverage consumed and holds important use in temple ceremonies of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
, it called Tetabuhan, an offering beverage for Buto Kala (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Kala the Giant) in order to evoke harmony. Brem can be either white or red depending on the proportions of white and black glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
used in production. Brem liquid is very sweet to semi-sweet, yet acidic, and vary in alcohol content from 5% to 14%.
Brem cake is produced in two small villages, Wonogiri and Madium. This kind of brem is believed by Indonesian consumer to be important for stimulating the blood system. It is also reported to prevent dermatitis
Dermatitis
-Etymology:Dermatitis derives from Greek derma "skin" + -itis "inflammation" and genetic disorder.-Terminology:There are several different types of dermatitis. The different kinds usually have in common an allergic reaction to specific allergens. The term may describe eczema, which is also called...
, probably due to the presence of significant amounts of B vitamins produced by the microorganisms. This product is consumed as a snack
Snack
A snack is a small portion of food eaten between meals. The food might be snack food—items like potato chips or baby carrots—but could also simply be a smaller amount of any food item.-Snacks and health:...
and not daily available in the family.
Fermented beverage
Liquid brem is made from fermented mash of black/ white glutinous rice (known as Ketan) using a dry-starter, which called as Ragi tapeTapai
Tapai or tape , sometimes referred to as peuyeum , is a traditional fermented food found throughout much of East- and Southeast Asia. It is a sweet or sour alcoholic paste...
. Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
is soaked and drained, steamed for 1 hour, and then allowed to cool. The cooled rice is then inoculated with Ragi tape and amylolysis
Amylolytic process
Amylolysis, or the amylolytic process, is the conversion of starch into sugar by the action of acids or enzymes like amylase.The amylolytic process is used in the brewing of alcohol from grains. Since grains contain starches but little to no simple sugars, the sugar needed to produce alcohol is...
begins. A honey-like rice syrup collects in the bottom of the malting vessel. Following 3 days of conversion from rice starch to sugars a yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
culture is added and alcoholic fermentation
Fermentation (food)
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol...
begins. Alcoholic fermentation typically goes on for two weeks.